She Died in an Explosion, but Lived as a Nova
by Did-I-Do-That
Summary: A novelization of KOTOR. Nova is a smart mouthed smuggler who loves to party, but somehow she's managed to hop aboard the Endar Spire. When the sith attack the ship Nova is forced to work with Carth Onasi official Republic pilot, unofficial stick in the mud, and Jedi Bastila Shan to save the world.
1. Chapter 1: Abandon Ship

**_HEY!  
><em>**_So I'm like 10 years too late to jump on this band wagon but whatever. _

**Rated Mature-** _ Because I have a naughty brain and I don't really know where this is headed_

**Disclaimer:** _I. Own. Nothing!_

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1 : Abandon Ship <span>**

_-Nova Vette-_

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><p>The sounds of blasters and crashing metal filled my ears as the violent shaking of the ship hurled me from my bed. I've been known to sleep through a number of things but an attack on a ship had to be a record for me. I struggled to stand up but between the vibrating of the ship and my vertigo I couldn't make it on two feet so I made do with what I had and crawled to my trunk of stuff.<p>

"Oh, good you're still alive!" A man almost cheered as he barged into my room. "We've been ambushed by a Sith battle fleet and the Endar Spire is under attack! Hurry, we don't have much time!"

I looked up at the intruder in confusion and held in my vomit as the ship shook yet again. "I don't know what's going on or who you are but I'm nursing a rather intense hang over here. Could you maybe try whispering?" I whined as I opened my foot locker and fished out my clothes.

"I'm Trask Ulgo," He said almost as if he were offended. "You're bunk mate...we drank together last night."

"Yeah, I don't remember too much of that." I sighed while pulling on my pants. "But I got some wicked chunks about to surface, if you know what I mean."

"Well, get over it fast we have to go make sure Bastila gets out of here alive!" He snapped as he helped me up and yanked my shirt over my head.

"I've never had a man put my clothes **on** before." I half laughed as he shoved my weapons in my face and opened the hanger door. As I put on my blaster holster brief memories flooded into mind. This Bastila was a Jedi knight on some secret mission but why I, a smuggler, was here was way beyond my knowledge. Why would she personally ask me to smuggle something? She was a Jedi for huts sake she could just wave her hand and mind rape the shit out of anybody in her way.

"Are you almost done?" Trask whined impatiently.

"Cool your jets, commander." I sassed. "Bastilla's a big Jedi now I'm sure she can handle herself. I, on the other hand, am getting my ass out of here before I'm just a bunch of guts floating around space."

"You're kidding right?" Trask growled. "You signed a contract promising to defend her with your life. Jedi or not she's going to need people with battle experience by her side."

I let out a laugh. "I'm a smuggler the only battle experience I have is when I'm running from the pazzak table after my opponent figured out that I was cheating." I'd barely managed to say the last word when the vomit came spewing from my mouth. Leaning on the wall for support I felt my insides burn and my brain throb. "I guess I had wompa last night." I joked lightly with pain coating my words. Trask opened his mouth to talk but quickly shut it when the ship let out a screech of breaking metal. "Let's get our asses out of here."

He sighed before helping me up clearly giving in to my bad judgment. He slung my arm over his shoulders and basically carried me away since our heights were so different. "Let's hope that we don't run into any sith on our way out. We're helpless in this state." Just as the words left his mouth three sith appeared out of no where as they switched their stealth belts off. "Sith spit." He cursed.

A coy smile danced on my lips as I slid out my blaster and easily took them out. "You were saying?" I cooed as we advanced to the escape pods.

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" he asked in complete awe.

"I could shoot a bottle of ale from a thousand pases completely sloshed while doing a handstand." I gloated as I easily took out yet another sith.

"I thought you didn't have that much battle experience." Trask sneered staring at me with a raised eye brow.

"Party trick." I explained simply.

"This is Carth Onasi." a voice rang through the com. "The sith are threatening to overrun our position and we can't hold out for much longer. All hands to the bridge!"

"Fuck that." I chimed while kneeling and looting the sith bodies.

"Carth is one the best pilots the republic has ever seen!" Trask gushed. "He's seen more battle than the entire Endar Spire crew put together! If he says things are bad you better believe it."

I looked up at Trask as if he were the stupidest man I've ever met. "The ship is falling apart." I said slowly. "If it takes that washed up pilot telling you things are bad then you couldn't be any dumber if I cut your head off."

He shot a glare at me but softened as he met my smiling face and proceeded to help me up. "We should get going more could be on the way." he sighed heavily.

"Don't forget the ship threatening to break in half while we're still in it," I half laughed... I had a problem with using humor to help myself stay calm. Most people call me childish for it but I believe that _Ignorance is Bliss_.

As Trask dragged me along the path I began to recognize that we were going straight to the bridge. I may have been trashed my entire time on this ship but I knew my way around... kind of. "Trask you spineless piece of bantha shit!" I snarled pushing myself away from him and wobbling to the wall for support. "You think I'm stupid enough to just let you lead me to a cesspit of sith?"

"It's on the way." Trask admitted trying to pick me up. "Just because you're ok with abandoning the republic doesn't mean I am."

I rolled my eyes as he lifted me from the ground and carried me around like a princess. "Oh please do drag me down with you." I growled. "Let's just walk to our death like a happy couple to their honey moon."

"Quit whining." he sighed as the door to the bridge opened and to my surprise it was empty. "Bastilla and the others must have retreated to the escape pods."

"I told you she could take care of herself." I muttered unpleasantly as I rummaged my way through a sith corpse. "hello beautiful!" I cheered while pulling out an adrenaline stim. Swiftly I injected it in my leg and felt my hangover completely disappear.

"Good now we can get to the pods." Trask smiled while starting the leave.

I stood up slowly trying to stay up as the ship shook yet again. "This stim won't last forever." I told him as I made my way through the bodies to the door. "And I have a feeling neither will the Endar Spire."

He looked back at me with a crooked smile. "What makes you think that?"

I grinned back at him thanking Hutta that I wasn't stuck with some stick in the mud for a roommate. We advanced easily only running into a few sith here and there until we opened the wrong door. Sparks lit up the room as the two glowing lightsabors clashed against each other.

"It's a dark jedi!" Trask gasped as we watched the two jedi fight. "We should probably stay back... we'd only get in the way."  
>I raised my eyebrow allowing a short burst of air to escape my mouth loudly. "Because running into that fight was my first instinct."<p>

He shot me a look preparing to snap back at me with playful banter but an explosion interrupted him. Just as the Jedi had stricken down her opponent the ship was hit causing a burst of electricity to run through her body leaving her dead and useless on the ground.

"That was one of the jedi accompanying Bastila." Trask announced. "Damn, we could have used her help."

I let out a sigh. "How very convenient." I glanced around looking for anything to help me. While the blaster was my weapon of choice something just felt off... like I needed another weapon. My eyes locked on a double bladed sword impaling a dead republic soldier and I smiled. It was exactly what I wanted. I glided over to it and pulled it from its victim. Placing my blaster in my left hand and single handedly wielding the meelee weapon in my right I felt whole again.

Trask eyed me awkwardly. "That seems like an odd mixture of weapons." He commented as I twirled the blade around.

I shrugged. "Feels right."

He let it go and began to lead our way to the escape pods. As we ran I felt my stim begin to wear off. The familiar burning in my stomach returned along with the slight spinning of the room. "Son of a Hutt." I mumbled as I slowed my pace.

"You ok?" My friend asked just before he perked up staring at a closed door like a Kath hound listening for its prey. "You hear that?" He didn't give me time to answer as he jogged to the blast door. "Some thing's behind here."

"Oh really?" I sighed sarcastically as I made my way to the door.

The door struggled slightly before opening completely and revealing what Trask had heard. "Damn, another Dark Jedi." Trask cursed looking at me with slight sorrow. "Go get to the escape pods. I'll hold him off."

"What?" I asked baffled as he took off into the room shutting and locking the door behind him. "Wait, Trask!" I pounded on the door hoping it would open but all I could hear was the sound of a lightsabor and a vibro blade. "You idiot." I sighed sadly stepping back from the door.

The violent shaking of the ship shook me back to reality as I was flung into the wall I was using for support. I cursed before deciding I wasn't going to die along with Trask on this sith infested ship. It was time to show these laser brains exactly how stubborn I really am. I pushed away from the wall wobbling slightly before I began to run full speed at the sith waiting eagerly for me at the end of the hall.

"This is Carth Onasi on your personal communicator." The sudden voice shocked me as fought off my attackers. A mixture of baster fire and blade seemed like an effective method but where exactly did I learn how to fight like this? "I'm tracking your position through the Endar Spire's life support systems. Bastala's escape pod is away and you're the last surviving crew member on the Endar Spire. I can't wait for you much longer you have to get to the escape pods!"

As I struck down the final sith I let out a loud exhausted sigh. "What is with all the republic lackeys always stating the obvious?" Turning a corner I spotted a sith trooper standing alone... it was odd he was... taller. Deciding that I didn't care and that he had to die I charged shooting my blaster until I was within range to attack with my blade. He was persistent, definitely more advanced than the others but he still fell to my might.

There was something about watching my enemies die at my blade that seemed so familiar to me. I've never really killed anyone before so why did it seem like I had? I felt my eye lids begin to droop as I limped to the next door... why did my leg hurt so bad. I peeked down to see that'd I'd been shot...

"When did that happen?" I whined opening the door in front of me. "Oh fuck me."

More sith awaited me more than ready for a fight. The first came at me with a vibro blade while the other lagged behind with a blaster. Overwhelmed I focused all my strength on my closer attacker trying my best to block his strikes while dodging the blaster shots. While I had the meelee sith in a hold I kicked my leg out instinctively sweeping his feet out underneath him. He fell with a hard thud and I smiled. He was at my feet with fear in his eyes. I was going to kill this sniveling worm.

"Son of a hutt!" I gasped as the burning sensation of blaster fire erupted on my shoulder I'd forgotten about the sith in the corner. I aimed my blaster and fired repeatedly until he fell lifeless on the ground. With my attention away from the remaining opponent he took the chance and bashed me on the side of my head. I fell to the ground, my already aching cranium feeling as if it were split in half. I was so close... I couldn't die now. I swung blindly and desperately at the sith looming over me and managed to stab him through the throat.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I struggled to get up. My leg and shoulder were on fire with pain and my head aching too much for me to concentrate. I couldn't go like this for much longer. Hopefully the rest of the way would be free of enemy encounters.

"Be careful." Carth's voice echoed through my throbbing head causing me to both jump and cringe from the surprise. "Theres a whole squad of sith troopers on the other side of that door."

Using the wall as a crutch I hobbled my way to the door not prepared for the fight I was about to get into. Exhaustion was setting in quickly and I didn't have time to make a plan. I slammed my hand on the access panel forcing the doors to open.

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><p><em>-Carth Onasi-<br>_

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><p>The sounds of battle ended after a few last pained screams. The victor stood behind the blast door gasping loudly for air as they pushed in the access code. I watched intensely, my hand on my blaster, as the door slid open revealing a small framed girl leaning in the door way. Pure exhaustion showed on her blood splattered face but her pale blue eyes seemed to sparkle with a mischievous life. Her arms laid limply at her side each loosely holding a weapon. A blaster in the left and a double sided blade in the right. An odd combination but apparently effective. Blood dribbled out of her rose colored lips as well as small gash on her four head. He multicolored colored hair clung to her swelling, bruised cheek with a mixture of sweat and blood. This girl had been through hell.<p>

"You're just in time." I blurted nervously. "There's only one escape pod left..." She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again as she breathed heavily and her eyelids began to droop. "We can hide out on the planet below."

She nodded before pushing herself from the wall. Her pain flashed across her face as she limped towards me exposing exactly how much damage she had taken. She stumbled to me but collapsed just as she got close. Instinctively I caught her before she hit the ground. A pained groan escaped her lips before she peered up at me on the edge of her consciousness. Her mouth opened again to say something but she fell limp in my arms before she got it out.

I let out a small sigh as I easily lifter her from the ground and hauled her into the escape pod. After getting in position I looked down at her and smiled sympathetically but was honestly surprised. The girl didn't look like she could hold up a blaster even if she was completely healthy. To think that she fought her way across the ship and through that troop was unbelievable. She had to be one hell of a woman to do that.

I shook that thought from my head immediately as I launched the escape pod towards the planet below. She looked familiar I must have seen her before... but where? I gingerly pulled out a data pad from my jacket and scanned her finger prints. Maybe a name could jog my memory.

Nova Vette. Age 24... and that was it. Normally the file would have much more information on her but it was empty... I'd have to quiz her about this when she wakes up. However the name did spark a memory.

She was sitting on the other end of a pazzak board half naked smiling devilishly at an almost naked soldier. She proudly placed a card down and by the look on the man's face she had obviously won. How could I forget her so easily? Her hair alone should have set some kind of bell off. It was long down to her waist and mostly brown aside from the blonde hair framing her face. I'd stolen many glances at her from time to time. In the cafeteria, in the halls, just anywhere I'd past her. She was a good looking woman I'd give her that but she wasn't trust worthy. It wasn't just that I had no idea what she did on the ship that put me on edge but the fact that she had been specially requested by that Jedi Bastila... Something was off about her.

The violent shaking of the escape pod forced me out of my thoughts. We were entering the Tarisian Atmosphere and soon we'd witness one hell of a rough landing. I glanced over at Nova as I strapped myself in tightly. This pod was made for one so I'd have to be her seat belt. She fit in my arms a little too well for my liking but now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. Now all I had to think about was surviving.


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Where Ever You Are

**Look over** **here! **_- So this is a long kind of dry chapter... sorry bout that I kind of got caught up in all the little side things... I'll try to avoid that in future chapters ._

**Rated** **M**_- because it's too hard to filter my mind. _

**Disclaimer**_- I procrastinate too much to achieve something like this._

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 2: Welcome to Where Ever You Are<span>  
><strong>

_-Nova Vette-_

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><p>I've been having this dream for a while now so much that I've found it hard to even pay attention anymore. There's a man in a mask standing in dark robes gazing out the window of a star ship. The stars are so pretty and the supernova he was admiring was a brilliant shade of violet. I've seen it millions of times by now but it was still breath taking.<p>

My eyes fluttered open to see an unfamiliar room which was ironically familiar to me. I stirred under the sheets in search of the companion I'd followed home but came up short as I fell from the bed. Everything ached. My head spun...

_"__Holy shit did I get shot?"_

My eyes focused on my charred skin from a laser burn shortly before the intense pain radiated from both my left shoulder and right calf. I racked my brain for some sort of memory that would explain these wounds but the last thing I could remember was playing pazzak in Telos. I forced myself up but couldn't contain a pained moan as I stood. Favoring my left leg more than my right I looked around for a clue of what had happen.

Peering down I noticed that I was still clothed. My pants were singed from close calls with blaster shots and burnt from when they finally hit me. My top was spattered with blood and doused in sweat while my jacket, my favorite jacket, had a huge hole where I'd gotten shot.

_"You've got to be kidding me! Three people died for me to get this!"_

Angry I ripped my jacket off and tossed it to the ground. Ignoring the burning pain I plopped onto the bed and pouted. Nothing was making sense and the only explanation for that was spice. I wasn't a regular junky but I did quite enjoy the drug from time to time. Being a light weight I almost always black out and wake up in weird places. Given the fact that I usually woke up in weird places I never really saw a down fall to getting high every now and then... well until now.

"Oh," A rugged looking man gasped as he came out of the 'fresher. A smile wormed its way across my face as I looked him over. Not my usual type but still attractive. "You're awake... I was beginning to think you'd never get up."

_"Creepy... but kind of sexy."_

"Well..." I sighed. "It seams I had one hell of a night."

"More like one hell of a week," The man smiled sympathetically as he went over to a drawer and dug out a shirt. "How much do you remember?"

"Nothing..." I sighed slightly ashamed. "I guess I partied harder than I thought... I don't even remember if I won at pazzak."

"What?" he asked as he finished dressing... "You must have hit your head harder than I thought... my name's Carth. I'm a republic pilot... I was on the Endar spire with you."

"_Sith spit! Of course the muscular hunk is with the republic."_

He out stretched and arm and touched my head. I winced both out of fear and because my head was sensitive. "The Endar Spire..." The name sounded so familiar... it rolled off my tongue smoothly and almost instantly I was filled with memories... "Oh, that's right."

"You remember?" He smiled while inspecting my head more thoroughly. "You took quite a blow to the head when the escape pod landed but luckily I wasn't seriously hurt. I dragged you out before the Sith got there and we stumbled into this abandoned apartment."

"I guess I owe you my life..." I sighed. "Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me." He said sounding almost robotic. "I've never abandoned anyone on a mission and I'm not about to start now."

I rolled my eyes slightly annoyed. "The correct response was _you're welcome _or _don't mention it._"

He paused for a few beats staring at me with a stern look in his eyes before continuing. "Taris is under Sith control and there's no way the Republic can get through their blockade to help us. We're on our own. Bastila's escape pod landed somewhere around here and it's our job to go find her."

"What's with you republic lackeys having a hard on for protecting that Jedi?" I mumbled as I laid back on the bed staring up at the metal ceiling. "She's a Jedi for hutt's sake. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

"Everyone and their mother are searching for her. Do you think she can take two steps without being recognized?" His husky voice grew stern like he was lecturing a child. "Nobody would be looking for a couple of nobodies like us so we should be free to walk as we please."

I rolled my eyes. "Because walking around in clothes with blaster holes in them is the fashion here?" I scoffed as I raised my head to shoot him a sassy look.

"I already thought of that." He announced while trifling through the drawers again.

Soon he fished out a neatly folded pack of bland looking clothes. I looked down to my black pants, white tank top, and the blue jacket I had been so fond of. I had my look figured out. There was no way I was going to pull of the tan and brown ensemble he'd bought me. Skeptically, I pulled the clothes out to examine them more... my jaw dropped. Robes definitely weren't my thing.

"So why is this Jedi any different than the rest of them?" I muttered in defeat as I began to strip.

Carth turned around after turning a shade of red. "She was with the strike team that killed Darth Reven, Malek's Sith master." He began.

I twitched at that information. I don't normally give a gizka about Sith or Jedi but something in the back of my mind screamed that it wasn't the Jedi who killed Reven. I pulled on the dark brown pants on before attempting to put the tan robes on. "Hey, flyboy," I called out. "Do you know how these things work?"

"Bastila is the key to the whole republic war effort." He stared at his hands as he fixed my robes. He was looking at everything but me and somehow I couldn't help but feel insulted. A half naked girl is in front of him asking for help with her clothes and he doesn't even look? "She's not just an ordinary Jedi. She has a rare gift called battle meditation that can influence entire armies. Through the force Bastila can inspire her allies with confidence and make her enemies lose their will to fight. Often that's all it takes to tip the balance."

I rolled my eyes as he finished tampering with my clothing and stepped away. "So where was this great power while the Endar Spire was going down?" I almost hissed. Trask could have survived if Bastila wasn't so worried about her own safety to use her power.

"The attack on the Endar Spire happened so fast that she didn't have time to use her battle meditation." He seemed to praise her even though she had failed. Did all republic soldiers have a fetish for the Jedi?

I shook my head. "No, she had time. She just worried about her life above everyone else's." I growled clenching my fists to keep myself calm. "Key to the war or not she was just being selfish and I won't risk my life for a piece of shit Jedi like her."

His mouth opened in surprise but then was replaced with anger. "Don't be stupid," He snapped. "Getting off this planet is going to be hard. We're going to need Bastila's help. Not to mention that without her the whole Republic war effort is doomed."

"Fuck the war." I grumbled. "I'm no soldier. The only person I owe anything to is dead, and he died because Princess Battle Shit was too selfish to sit her ass down and try to save someone other than herself."

"Do you have any idea what the Sith do to prisoners of war?" He boomed. I could tell that he was struggling to keep his composure. "The force can do terrible things to a mind. It can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity!"

I bit my lower lip to keep myself from saying anything more. I did want to get off this planet and back to smuggling, living my carefree life. Apparently I needed this stiff and his queen Jedi to do that so if I have to bite my cheek and play super soldier then I will. They'll regret it in the end.

"Fine," I pouted. "The sooner we find your golden Jedi the sooner I get out of here."

Carth let out a low sigh of relief. "I did some scouting while you were out. There are a couple reports of escape pods crashing down into the Undercity. That's probably a good place to start."

"Lead the way, commander," I sassed pretending to salute him.

"The Undercity is a dangerous place, we don't want to go down there unprepared." He sighed ignoring my comment. "It won't do Bastila any good if we go and get ourselves killed."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon." I informed coldly. "but if you don't feel prepared then where do you propose we start?"

"Talk to the locals, get the feel of this place." He ordered.

I just shrugged and barged out of the apartment. "Are you coming, Blaster boy?" I asked annoyed.

Carth clasped my shoulder looking sternly at me like I was his child that just disappointed him. His mouth opened to begin his lecture but his eyes trained on something just behind me. Instinctively I checked to see what was going on but froze at the site of a Sith patrol standing in front of two Duros, aliens.

"There was a patrol here just yesterday, and they found nothing! Why do you Sith keep bothering us?" A braver Duros complained.

The Sith didn't blink twice before firing three blaster shots into his direction only managing to land the last one into the aliens torso. I rolled my eyes. Did they let any ass hole who can hold a blaster into the Sith army? Seriously three shots to hit a creature with such a big head at point blank and he doesn't even hit him in the head!

"That's how we Sith deal with smart mouth aliens." The Sith cooed obviously pleased with himself. "Now the rest of you get up against the wall before I lose my temper again."

I reached down into Carth's holster and took his blaster. Before he could protest I shot the two droids escorting the Sith brat around. "Three shots for one alien?" I sneered. "Do the Sith even bother training you laser brains anymore?"

"What's this?" He said still high and mighty sounding. "Humans hiding out with ali-." The blaster shot left my gun and landed evenly between his eyes. I wasn't normally one to intrude on other people's business but when I saw his lousy shooting I just became enraged.

"Poor Ixgil, he should never have talked back to that Sith." The remaining Duros sighed gaining my attention. "Thankfully you were here to step in and help us, human."

"Uh..." I blurted before words came into my mind. "Yeah... anytime."

"This isn't the first time the Sith have come in here to cause trouble for us," He explained not really caring about my lack of words. "but hopefully it will be the last."

"What about the bodies?" I quizzed looking around.

"Don't worry." He assured. "I will move them so it looks like they were killed elsewhere. That should throw them off track." The Duros gave a bow before hauling one of the droid's remains away.

"Want to ask permission next time you steal my blaster to kill someone?" Carth snapped angrily snatching the blaster from my hand. "I know that the Sith are our enemy right now but maybe a little discretion is in order. They may not be searching for us but we should still stay low. Us not being of importance wont stop them from killing us."

I rolled my eyes. "I save an innocent alien from the Sith and your mad because I took your gun?" I snorted. "There's just no pleasing you is there, Captain Butt Hurt?"

"Hey there! Watch where you're walking. I just cleaned those floors." An old voice rang out from the end of the hall. I smiled it was easy to woo the old. Just be nice.

"I'm sorry." I called out as I approached him. "I didn't know."

"Well alright then, no hard feelings." He smiled caught off guard. "My name's Kadir, the janitor of this building. You must be the new tenant here, right? I never thought they'd rent that old apartment."

"You could say that." I smiled brightly at him. "We got stuck here because of that quarantine, but the thing is that we don't know that much about Taris. Could you maybe tell me about it?"

"It's a decent enough place to live, I guess. Except for the lower levels... that's where the swoop gangs hang out. Just stay in the Uppercity and you should be fine." He spilled out like he hadn't been talked to in a while. He must be a lonely guy. "You might want to check out the cantina. I used to go there when I was younger. It's a good place to get a drink and find out what's going on around Taris."

"Thanks a lot, Kadir." I charmed touching his arm lightly. "We should get going now but we'll see you around, right?"

"Yeah, well I should get back to work anyway." He smiled turning back to his cleaning cart. "See you later."

"That was..." Carth began but quit when he couldn't find an adjective to explain it.

"Charming?" I offered with a sly smile. "Did you think I was the kind of girl who pays for her drinks?"

He sighed obviously disappointed in me again. "I guess not. So we go to the cantina, gather some information and head down to the Undercity?"

"You're the one in charge of this mission." I stated. "You lead and I'll follow until we find this Jedi of yours."

"Right," he muttered as we stepped into the elevator leading to the Uppercity.

"Maybe we can stop and pick me up a weapon too." I sighed leaning on the wall of the elevator.

"So you can go trigger happy on a Sith again?" Carth mocked. "I think everyone will be safer if we keep you away from any kind of weapon."

I rolled my eyes. "So what then? You're just going to let me be defenseless the entire time?"

"I can protect you. It's part of my job as a Republic soldier." He stated going back to his robotic voice.

"My hero." I sassed.

_**Xxx**_

The cantina wasn't more than a hop, skip, and a jet blast away from our residence... convenient for me, being the cantina rat that I was. Being so close to it already made me thirsty for ale or maybe just thirsty for a little fun seeing as my day has consisted of No Fun Mcgee and charming the hair off an old man. A little pazzak, a little booze, and a little fling would make a happy girl out of me.

"Oh, Niclos, you've done it again!" A blond bimbo cheered just as we walked through the doors. "There's just no one to match you in pizzak!"

"Naturally, I wouldn't be the champion if just anyone could defeat me." This Niclos boasted taking the girl in his lap and planting a kiss.

Instantly I rolled my eyes and fought to suppress my urge to deflate this man's ego. Yes, I would stick to my own business like a good soldier. Just as we walked past I felt the familiar touch of a sleaze ball grabbing a handful of my goods. I plastered an irritated smile on my face before turning my attention to the worm.

"Care to put your credits where your mouth is, Mr. Champion?" I whispered into his ear while placing my chin on his shoulder and wrapping my arms around his neck to touch his unimpressive chest.

"Is that a challenge, my dear?" He cooed sucking up my flirtation enough to shove his fangirl away.

"Nova," Carth called as if he were calling a pet. "You don't have a deck so let's just be on our way."

I frowned at him. "Spoil sport." I stood up straight prepared to leave Niclos high and dry.

"Wait!" A man chimed from the corner. "I've got a nice deck for sale. Only 50 credits."

"We don't have that kind of cash right now." Carth said sternly. "You shouldn't waste you time."

"What's your name?" I asked approaching the sales man.

"Garouk," he introduced. "It really is a nice deck. Its won me quite a few fortunes... and lost them in one bad game. That's why I'm giving up gambling."

"Well, that's pizzak for you." I chuckled. "Care to gamble just one more time?"

"What do you have in mind, little lady?" Garouk smiled a certain light in his eye told me he was all in.

"Lend me your deck just for one game." I began while flipping my hair behind my shoulder. "If I win, I'll give you half my earnings. If I lose you get your deck back."

"No harm no foul, right?" Garouk laughed digging into his pocket and handing me his deck. "Treat her right now,"

"Of course," I smiled genuinely excited.

"What money are you planning to gamble with?" Carth grumbled determined to end my shenanigans.

"I'm sure Niclos and I can figure something out if I happen to lose." I cooed staring into Niclos's eyes while biting my lip. It was so easy to wrap idiots like him around my finger.

"I'm positive we can find something you can do to make up the money." He attempted to flirt but really just managed to gross me out.

"So it's a deal then, Mr. Champion?" I asked taking my seat at the pizzak table. He answered by dealing out his cards.

_**XxX**_

His jaw was wide open as I toss my final card on the board signaling my victory. I loved this part. Watching their ego crash to the ground like a deflated balloon. Smoothly I gathered my credits and stood.

"It's been fun, Mr. Champion." I smirked before handing half my proceeds to Garouk. "But the Kill joy in the corner looks like he'll kill me if I continue this fun."

"Are you almost done?" Carth complained right on cue.

"See what I have to deal with?" I laughed half heartedly fallowing Carth into the bar area. "Want a drink?"

"What I want is to find Bastila, not dilly dally around with a cantina harlot." he grumbled taking a seat at the bar obviously taking me up on the drink.

"Oh such sweet words you speak to me." I snorted sarcastically before ordering us drinks and some food. Letting out a sigh I glanced to Carth who was staring emotionless at the drink in his hands. If this entire adventure consists of us fighting like this we'll end up killing each other... "Carth?"

"Yes, what's on your mind?" He answered emotionless again... I hated when he did that.

"Well, we're constantly at each others throats... but I don't know the first thing about you." I sighed.

"Me?" He gasped slightly. "Well, I've been a star pilot for the Republic for years... seen more than my share of wars. I fought in the Mandalorian Wars before this all started."

I suppressed the need to roll my eyes. All of this sounded so... rehearsed. It was like he was telling me about him but still managing to build an even thicker wall between us. What kind of person can manage that?

There was a long pause before he continued. "But with all that... I've never experienced anything like the slaughter these Sith animals can unleash. Not even the Mandaliorians were this senseless." His voice rose in slight anger but I could hear some hurt in them as well. "My home world was one of the first to fall to Malek's fleet. The Sith bombed it into submission... and there wasn't a damn thing our Republic forces could do to stop them!"

I raised my eyebrows in slight shock. Did he actual sound human just there? Those were actual, honest to god feelings! "Why do you sound like...like you failed them?" I said out loud without meaning to.

"It shouldn't be my fault. I did everything I could..." He began to pour... but I don't he heard what I had said... he was just talking. It didn't even sound like it was directed towards me anymore. "I fallowed my orders and did my duty. That shouldn't mean that I failed them. I didn't!"

"By them..." I said slowly gaining his attention. A flash of shock wiped across his face as he realized that he'd poured some of his soul to me. I smiled softly to reassure him that I was friendly... but to be honest I was just curious as to how Carth became... well Carth. "Do you mean the people on your home world?"

"Yes. No...no, that's not what I mean. I mean..." He blurted. "I'm sorry. I'm not making much sense am I?"

I let out a sigh as he put the wall back between us. "Not really... but that's fine." I stated looking into my half full glass. Tilting my head back and brought the glass to my mouth I downed the rest of my alcohol hoping it would liven up the mood Carth had accidentally set.

"You probably mean well with your questions. I'm just not accustomed to talking about my past very much... At all, actually." He stated resuming his emotionless demeanor. "Let's just focus on finding Bastila for now."

"_Wall officially built 30' tall and 10' thick. There's no way he's letting me in._"

The food had finally made it's way here and I was quick to scarf it down. Carth would probably be nagging me to hurry soon anyway. Peeking over I was surprised to see him sitting calmly and patiently... something he hadn't done since I met him.

"Hey, there," A man greeted as he slid into the seat next to me. He was tall, built, and rough around the edge. Exactly my type... a bad boy. Biting my lower lip I smiled and ran my hand through my long hair. "I haven't seen you around before. Of course they don't exactly give us Sith officers much time off."

I froze for a few beats. First hunk is a Republic Nazi and now this eye candy is Sith Scum. Today is just not my day for love. "You're Sith?" I asked pretending to be impressed.

"I'm off duty now so I don't have to wear my uniform. I guess it'd be hard to distinguish us from the locals without our suits on." He charmed. "I'm Yun Genda – junior officer, first class with the Sith occupation force."

"It's nice to meet you, Yun." I smiled letting his name roll off my tongue slightly. "I'm Nova... unfortunately my resume isn't quiet as impressive as yours."

"I'm actually a little surprised you're willing to talk to me at all." He admitted scratching the back of his head. "You wouldn't imagine how many times I've been shut down for being a Sith."

I let out a giggle. "You being shut down? Is this part of your pick up line?"

"No, no," He chuckled. "Most people on Taris can't stand the Sith... it can make this a pretty lonely job."

"There's the pick up line!" I laughed allowing my hand to touch his arm. "But I'm not actually from Taris."

"An off worlder, huh," He sighed smiling. "I'd think you'd be even more angry being stuck on a foreign planet and all."

I shrugged. "Taris isn't too bad... though the locals aren't much fun."

"It's like everyone on this backwater planet is in a permanent bad mood." He chuckled. "Don't they know that they have to make the best of things?"

"Not everyone can have your positive attitude." I giggled

"I'll be real with you. It's easy to get depressed on an assignment like this but we do what we can to keep our spirits up." He admitted taking a drink from his mug.

My hand dropped from his arm to his knee as I leaned in slightly. "You need to blow off a little steam sometime, right?"

_"__I'm definitely getting laid tonight!" _

Carth cleared his throat and nudged me a little reminding me that I was not going to get laid tonight. Yun caught on to Carth's cock blocking and smiled.

"Sadly, I have a shift coming up soon that I should get to." He stood up and kissed my hand. "Some of the junior officers and myself are having a party. I'd love to see there."

I licked my lips before answering. "I'm not exactly the kind of girl to turn down a party."

"I'll put it on your map then. I can't wait to see you again." He smiled. "It starts right after our shifts end tomorrow...Most of us wont even be going back to our base to lock up our uniforms."

"Sounds like a blast." I smiled pecking him on the cheek. "I'll see you there then."

He turned a shade of pink before sauntering off to work.

"Flirting with the enemy..." Carth laughed coldly. "I truly am traveling with a harlot."

I rolled my eyes. "Cool your jets, Fly Boy, would you rather me shut him down and look suspicious?"

"Shutting him down would not seem suspicious." He grumbled.


End file.
